Safe Adventures
A sector review and principles for student group safety in adventure activities
Student-led groups are the heartbeat of the university experience. Whether it’s scaling a rock face, practising a favourite team sport or discovering a new hobby, these activities give students the chance to build skills, find community and support their wellbeing.
Through the programme, a steering group made up of students’ unions, NUS Charity and Howden has worked collaboratively to explore the current landscape of safety in student-led adventure activities. Together, the group has undertaken research to better understand how these activities are supported, where challenges exist, and how organisations can strengthen practice across the sector.
This work recognises that student activities are often delivered by passionate volunteers and supported by students’ unions and university sports departments. It also highlights that, as these activities grow and evolve, there are opportunities to strengthen the culture, understanding and support structures that help keep students safe.
The result of this collaboration is the Safe Adventures Report, which sets out six principles to help organisations reflect on and evaluate the activities their student groups offer.
These principles are designed to support organisations to improve practice while protecting what makes student activity so valuable: student leadership, exploration and community.
This work represents the start of a collective journey. By sharing these principles and the learning from this research, we hope to support students’ unions, universities, governing bodies and others across the sector to work together to strengthen safety in student-led activity.
Download the Safe Adventures Report
Fill in this form to receive the download link by email.
Once you submit the form, you’ll be sent a link to access the report straight away.
The report is just a starting point.
The Safe Adventures Report marks the beginning of an ongoing effort across the sector to share learning and support continuous improvement in the way student adventure activities are delivered.
Organised Fun will be continuing to share learning, offer guidance, and support students’ unions and universities to understand and implement the student group safety principles.
Learn more about Implementing Safe Adventures - a new collective consultancy programme exploring how supporting organisations can embed the principles.